Protective liner for can impellers



Sept. 4, 1951 BERRAR I 2,567,096

PROTECTIVE LINER FOR CAN IMPELLERS Filed Nov. 12, 1946 I 2 Sheets-Sheet2 F'IE E 35 INVENTOR F I I::|' 1|:l KARL 1.. BER/MR ATTORNEYS PatentedSept. 4, 1 951 Q PROTECTIVE LINER FOR CAN IMPELLERS Karl L. Berrar, SanJose, Calif., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Application November 12, 1946, Serial No.709,255

The present invention relates to can handling apparatus and is concernedmore particularly with the provision of a protective lining for the canengaging surfaces of can impelling mechanism associated with suchapparatus.

Movement of cans by a can impelling mechanism causes continuous wearingof the can engaging surfaces thereof, particularly when used inapparatus in which canned goods undergo a treatment such as cooking,cooling, or the like. Such treating apparatus, as exemplified in PatentNo. 2,211,801, issued to A. R. Thompson, August 20, 1940, are usually ofthe rotating reel and spiral canway type comprising a treating chamberthrough which the can impellers move for urging cans along a spiral pathfrom a receiving toward a discharging station while the canned goodsundergo treatment.

In order to minimizecost, the can impellers are usually mill rolledstock steel angles, and

since the treatment of canned goods within such treating chambersentails the use of steam, moisture, and air, these angles aresusceptible to rusting or corrosion.

The cans undergoing treatment are, of course, filled and sealed andtherefore offer resistance to movement by the impeller angles causingfriction between the cans and the rusted or corroded surfaces of thesteel angles. Since cans are continuously fed through such treatingchambers, constant friction between the cans and the can engagingsurfaces of the impeller angles causes the rust and corrosion on suchsurfaces to be scraped off resulting in pitting and irregular wearing ofthe angles. the angles become so irregular and thin in spots as torequire replacement in order to prevent damaging of the cans by jammingof the cans in the impelling mechanism.

It is one object of this invention to provide a non-corrosive, Wearresisting lining for can impelling angles in continuous cookers andcoolers to thereby eliminate the need for frequent replacement of thecan impeller angles thereof.

Another object is to provide a unitary stainless steel liner for the canimpelling angles of can handling apparatus.

Another object is to provide a single sheet can impeller liner soconfigurated as to grip the impeller as the liner is pressed in onedirection toward the same.

Another object is to provide can impeller angles with a single sheetlining having can engaging portions joined by an integral web anddiverging slightly relative to the contiguous inner faces In time thesurfaces of 8 Claims. (Cl. 198211) 2 of a can impeller angle so as togrippingly hug the same when the web is urged toward'the angle bysecuring means.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross section of a can impeller provided with the liningstrip of the present invention prior to permanent attachment thereto.

Fig.2 is a view similar'to Fig. 1 showing the lining strip of thepresent invention firmly secured to the can impeller.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of a can impeller lined inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified form of securing means for firmly securingthe. lining of the present invention to a can impeller.

' Fig. 5 is similar to Figs. 2 and 4 showing another form of securingmeans for securing the lining strip to the can impeller.

Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive illustrate the liner of the present inventionassociated with the can impelling angles of a cooker or cooler reeldisposed in different positions relative to a spiral trackway associatedwith the reel.

Fig. '10 is a section'taken along line III-Ill in Fig. 6. r

In the drawings, (Figs. 1 to 3) I designates a can impeller adapted tobe lined in accordance with the present invention. In practice, such canimpellers are secured in any conventional manner to a moving carriagewith their long axes extending transversely with respect to thedirection of movement of the carriage (Fig. 6). While the can impellerI, shown herein, is a simple form of L-shaped angle iron, it is to beunderstood that it may be of any other form, for instance T-shaped, solong as it comprises a flange 2 (Fig. 1) adapted to be secured to amoving carriage and a flange 3 so disposed relative to the flange 2 asto receive a can therebetween. The can may be supported solely by theflanges 2 and 3 for movement in a static condition or it may besupported by an auxiliary runway associated with the can impellers insuch a manner (Fig. 9) that the cans will roll as they are pushed alongby the flanges 3 thereof. The cans may thus be moved along an inclinedor a declined track so that either one or the other side of the flange 3may be engaged by a can.

For purposes of illustration, the present invention has been disclosedin connection with a can impeller of the type referred to as an angleiron pusher bar in the can handling apparatus disclosed in the Thompsonpatent mentioned above. In Figs. 6 to 10 of the drawings herein, theangle iron pusher bars are designated by the reference numeral 5 andhave their flanges 2 secured to the outer rim 6 of a spider wheel orwheels i so that their flanges 3 extend radially with respect to thewheels 1 and constitute therewith a rotating reel 8. The reel 8 isusually some 40 feet in length, provided with cross bracing betweenwheels 1 and is supported for rotation in a conventional manner within acooker shell l0 concentric to a spiral trackway l I secured to the innerwall of the shell II]. In such arrangement, the cans are guided by thespiral trackway II for movement in the direction of the arrows l2 (Figs.6 to 10) along a spiral path provided by the trackway l I. In thiscircuitous path, the cans, when beneath the reel 8 (Fig. 9), aresupported by the spiral trackway I I, when above the reel (Fig. 6), theyare supported by the pusher bars 5, and, when lowered (:Fi'g'. "7).; .orelevated (Fig. *8), on either side of the reel, the cans are supportedby :either or hot a pusher bar or the spiral trackway l i.

It is,.therefore,apparerit that when .the pusher bars 5 are bare oreunlined thecans contactseveral difiernt surfacesthereof during onecomplete revolution of the reel. In other words, a can positioned theregion .of the spiral trackway below thereel as shown in Fig. 9,contacts the leading face of the flange 3 of the bare I pusher bar. Asthe bare pusher bar is moved from the position shown inlFig. 9, the canremains supported :by the trackway H and the face 15 of the flange';3,the :canin transit rotating slightly with respect to the face I5 of theflange v3. .After the bare "pusher bar passes beyond horizontal thecan'rolls by gravity along, the face l5 into contact with the :face [6of the flange .2 of the pusher bar asshown in Fig. :8. When the pusherbar arrives vertically abovez thereel at the position shown in Fig;'6,the can rests upon the surface it"of the flange 2 and as 'theibarepusher bar descends relative to the spiral trackway H, the can rolls bygravity along the face l6 into contactfwith the face 11 on the flange .3of the preceding pusher bani. e., the face thereof opposite the face 115of the flange 3; Upon further descent of the bare pusher bar, to theposition shown in :Fig. 7, the can rolls along the :face .l 1

into contact with the spiral trackway H and subsequently rotatesrelative to the face ll of the bare pusher bar as the latter completesone revolution'relative to the trackway.

Simultaneous with the progress of a can through one revolution of thereel, as stated above, the can'is shifted lengthwise relative to thebare pusher bar, .as indicated by the arrows ZD in'Fig. 10, a distancesubstantially equal to one *can length or the pitch of .one convolutionof the spiral trackway' II. It is, therefore apparent that the cans areshifted and rotated dur-' ingcontact with either or :a pair of thesurfaces l5, t6,'or H of the pusher bars and, consequently, scrape thesurfaces so contacted, thereby causing a: removal of incrustations ofrust and/or corrosion therefrom.

In accordance with the present invention, the surfaces [5, l6, and I!which would ordinarily be contacted by a can, are protected by theprovision of a liner 22 in the .ma-nner as shown in Figs. 1 to 5,inclusive.

- The liner .22, preferably comprises a single sheet or strip 23 ofnon-corrosive wear resisting material, such as stainless steel ofapproximately .020 gauge corresponding in length to the length thepusher bar 5 so as to prevent the cans from contacting the faces i5, I6,and ll of the pusher bar.

The section v2"! of-the sheet 23 is bent back upon the section 25thereof providing a bight portion 28 therebetween adapted to flt therounded edge "29 of the flange 3 of the pusher bar. The section 21provides a can engaging lip parallel to the face ll of the pusher bar 5and the section 25 is substantially but not quite parallel with respectto the section 21, as well as the face 55 of the pusher bar. The section25 of the sheet 23 has its extreme "outer -edge v3 bent to fit therounded edge 3:1aoftheflange12-of thebar 5 so that the section 26Willlie in-a plane nearly but not quite parallel with respect to theface I6 of the flange 2. The sheet 23 is bent at break lines 25' and 25which are substantially-equidistant the arcuate extremities 2'8 and 38,respectively, of the sections 25 and 25, i. e., preferably a distanceconforming to the width of the section 27, to provide a central web 3-3between the sections 25181161 :26. This central web 53 is adapted to bedisposed normal to a hypothetical line 35 'bisecting the angle betweenthe sections 25 and 26, as is illustrated in Fig; '1. The strip 23 thusformed presents a liner '22 substantially conforming to-' the shape ofthe pusher bar 5 except that the angle between the sections :25 and 26is slightly greater than the angle between the flanges 3 and 2. It is,therefore, apparent that the sections 25 and '25 diverge relative toeach other and, consequently, "the liners 22 are easily applied to thepusher bars from the periphery of the reel by sliding the substantiallyparallel sections 25 and 2? over the radially disposed flanges 3 of thepusher barsuntil theextremity "30 of the sectionifi engages the flange2, as shown in Fig.1.

It will be noted that the sections 25, 26, and web 33 combined are oflesser dimension than that of the facesrl5 and it so that although theweb 33 may be pressed toward the pusher bar it will not engage the :samebut merely flex the sections 25 and 26 closer toward parallelism withthe respective faces 15 and [5 of the pusher bar. When a liner 22 isplaced on a pusher bar 5 as stated above, the diverging sections 25 and26 of the liner and the central web 33 therebetween are spaced from theinner faces of the pusher bar and only the rounded edges 28 and 35contact the flanges 3 and 2, respectively. It should be understood thatthe edge 30 of the liner overlying the rounded edge 35 of the flange :2need not completely circumscribe the rounded edge 3| as a matter 'offact, it need not be curled over the rounded edge '3! but'may terminateat the end of the face it where the latter merges with the edge 3|.

Since the section 2'5 of the liner only extends downwardly suflicient toprevent cans from contacting the face i"! of the flange 3 and the edge3i? of the section 26 ends at the rounded edge 3| of the flange 2 it isapparent that no part of the liner 22 extends inwardly of the reelbeyond the periphery of the rim 6 of any of the spider wheels 7 thereof.Consequently, special Cutting and fitting of the liner 2.2 with respectto the rims 6 and any incidental cross bracing between the rims isavoided.

The web 33 of each liner is provided with apertures 38 at desiredpositions along its length, preferably every three to four feet alongits length. These apertures 38 may be formed in the liner while it isstill a flat sheet to facilitate stacking of several sheets 23 with ajig for manifold drilling or punching on a mass production basis.

The apertures 38 so formed are centered crosswise the web 33 and,therefore, are adapted to be aligned with the hypothetical line 35 whichbisects the angle between the sections 25 and 26 of the liner and theangle between the flanges 2 and 3 of the pusher bar 5.

-Wlren the liners 22 are assembled on the pusher bars '5 (see Fig. 6)their diverging sections 25 and 26 are so disposed as to permit thepassage of fasteners through the apertures 38 for attachment to the coveportion 39 of the pusher bar. Any well known form of fastening membermay be utilized if desired, but from the standpoint of efficiency, bestresults are obtained by using blind type fasteners for reasons later tobe made apparent.

The preferred form of blind type securing member shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 3 is a stud 40 adapted to be welded to the cove portion 39 of thepusher bar in any conventional manner. However, the liner 22 of thepresent invention is so constructed as to permit Welding of the studs tothe pusher bars by a stud Welder of the type disclosed in the NelsonPatent No. 2,191,494 dated February 26, 1940. The stud welder referredto is not shown herein but is a hand tool having a chuck for firmlyholding the stud so that it can be inserted through one of the apertures38. The stud is thereby held in a proper position against the coveportion 39 of the pusher bar while an arc is established between the bar5 and the stud 40 to weld the two together. Thereafter, the chuck can bewithdrawn from the stud which remains secured to the pusher bar with itsaxis substantially bisecting the angle between the flanges 2 and3 of thepusher bar, as shown in Fig. 1.

The stud 48 is provided with a tubular formed end 44 adapted to receivea heading die which, for purposes of illustration, is generallyindicated by reference numeral 45 in Fig. 1. The annular extremity ofthe tubular end 44 is flared during spinning of the die 45 as the latteris pressed against the end 44 to form a head 46 on the stud. Duringformation of the head 4'6 the latter is pressed against the web 33 ofthe liner to force the web toward the base of the stud thereby drawingthe contiguous sections and 26 closer toward parallelism with respect tothe faces [5 and I6, respectively, of the pusher bar. Consequently, thebight portion 28 of the liner is'drawn down tightly upon the roundededge 29 of the pusher bar and simultaneously the edge is pressed firmlyagainst the rounded edge 3| of the flange 2 into the positionillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

While the specific form of securing member illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and3 has a tubular end adapted to be flared outwardly to bear against theweb 33, the same effect may be attained by blind rivets or by a stud arewelded to the angle and having a solid end, not shown, and by forming ahead thereon with a riveting die, not shown. Another modified form ofstud is illus-. trated in Fig. 5 in which a solid ended stud 48 orsecuring members is shown provided with threads adapted to re ceive anut 49 for pressing the web 33 and sec tions 25 and 26 of the linertoward the pusher bar. If desired, a plain stud having an internalthread, not shown, may be employed to receive a drive screw; or, asexemplified by the modification shown in Fig. 4 the pusher bar may beprovided with a hole 58 and a drive screw 5| driven into the hole 50.

From the above it is apparent that in applying matter for one man toapply the liners and securing members to their respective pusher bars.

As is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, any one of these securingmembers when applied to the pusher bars, in the manner as stated above,will bear against the web 33 of the liner to press the latterunidirectionally toward the pusher bar along the line 35 which bisectsthe angle between the fianges 2 and 3 of the pusher bar. Since the anglebetween the sections 25 and 26 of the liner is slightly greater than theangle between the flanges 3 and 2 of the pusher bar and the bightportion 28 between sections 25 and 21 is hooked over the rounded edge 29of the pusher bar, only the outer edges 28 and 30 of the sections 25 and26, respectively, are in contact with the pusher bar when the liner isapplied thereto, as shown in Fig. 1. Consequently, there is asubstantial three point bearing between the bar and the liner, namely,at the two outer edges 28 and 36 of the liner and at the center of theweb 33 when the web 33 is pressed toward the pusher bar by the head of asecuring member (Figs. 2, 4 or 5). Since the combined dimension of thesections 25, 2B, and web 33 is less than that of the faces I5 and I6 ofthe pusher bar, it is apparent that the section 25 and web 33 are placedunder tension as they are urged closer toward the face I5 of the pusherbar and are thereby stretched relative to the pusher bar. Moreover, thesame pressure against the web 33 causes a flexing of sections 25 and 26,simultaneously springing the latter closer toward parallelism with thefaces of the flanges 2 and 3. The liner 22 is thereby rigidly secured tothe can impeller to prevent upturning of the extreme end 38 of thesection 26 thereof and to eliminate undue vibration during operation.

From the above, it will be particularly noted that no portion of thelining is so disposed as to become snagged on any stationary mechanismassociated with the can impeller. In other Words, the edge 30 of theliner is pressed tightly against the rounded edge 31 of the pusher barand the bight portion 28 of the liner is drawn tightly downupon theextreme edge 29 of the flange 3 so as to assure sufiicient clearancerelative to the spiral trackway I 1. Moreover, the bight portion 28protects the extremity of the flange 3 from undue wear and tear by cansfed into or discharged from the can impelling'mechanism. From theforegoing, it is apparent that I have provided a can impeller lining soconfigurated as to cooperate with a unidirectional securing force as toembrace and cover all can engaging surfaces of a can impeller to therebyprotect such surfaces against constant wear during normal operation.

Having thus described the present invention in connection with aspecific application, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat the same may be modified or altered for adaptation to otherapplications without departing from the spirit of the invention and,therefore, I desire to avail myself of all modifications and alterationscoming within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A lining for angularly disposed can engaging surfaces of a canimpeller comprising a single sheet of non-corrosive wear resistantmaterial bent to dispose contiguous portions thereof in angular relationwith respect to each other so that the angle between them is slightlygreater than the angle between said can engaging surfaces whereby theextremities of said contiguous portions engage the can engagingsurfaces, said sheet having an opening therein in axial alignment with aline bisecting the angle between said contiguous portions, and asecuring member having a shank extending through said opening forattachment to said can impeller and provided with a head for urging saidlining toward said impeller.

2. A lining for angularly disposed can engaging surfaces of a canimpeller comprising a single sheet of non-corrosive wear resistingmaterial having contiguous portions thereof disposed at a greater anglewith respect to each other than the angle between said can engagingsurfaces whereby the extremities of said contiguous portions engage thecan engaging surfaces, one of said contiguous portions having a hookshaped end for overlying the extremity of the adjacent can engagingsurface, and securing means attached to said can impeller having a headportion urged toward said lining and can impeller along a line bisectingthe angle between said contiguous portions for tensioning the latter tothereby stretchthe liner over the can engaging surfaces of the canimpeller.

3. A lining for the can engaging surfaces of a can impeller having abase lying in a predetermined plane and a pusher bar substantiallynormal with respect thereto adapted to be engaged by cans on either ofits sides, comprising a single sheet of non-corrosive wear resistingmaterial bent back upon itself to fit over said pusher bar and bent inan opposite direction to provide contiguous portions disposed at anangle which is slightly greater than the angle between said base andpusher bar, and means secured to said can impeller and having a shankportion extending through said lining substantially along a linebisecting the angle between the contiguous portions thereof and providedwith a head for urging said liner toward said can impeller forstretching the lining tightly over the can impeller.

4. Alining for angularly disposed can engaging surfaces of a canimpeller comprising a single sheet of non-corrosive wear resistingmaterial having a central portion adapted to lie in a plane normal to aline bisecting the angle between said can engaging surfaces and havingcontiguous can engaging portions disposed at a greater angle withrespect to each other than the angle between said can engaging surfaces,and means attached to said can impeller for applying a force againstsaid central portion for urging the latter toward the can impellerwhereby the extremities of said can engaging portions are pressedtightly against the can engaging surfaces of the can impeller.

5. A lining for angularly disposed can engaging surfaces of a canimpeller comprising a single sheet of non-corrosiveulwear resistingmaterial having; one edge be'nt'back upon itself to provide a bightportion adapted to embrace the extremity of one can engaging surface,said sheet having an intermediate portion adapted to lie normal to aplane bisecting the angle between said can engaging surfaces and havingcan engaging portions on either side of said intermediate portiondisposed at a greater angle with respect to each other than the anglebetween said can engaging surfaces, and means secured to said canimpeller for applying force against said intermediate portion for urgingthe latter toward the can impeller to press the extremities of said canengaging portions against said can engaging surfaces and for drawing thebight portion tightly down upon the extremity of the can engagingsurface embraced thereby.

6. A lining for the can engaging surfaces of a can impeller having apusher bar adapted to engage cans disposed on either side thereof and abase substantially normal with respect thereto. comprising a singlesheet of non-corrosive wear resisting material having a can engaging lipadapted to lie parallel to one side of said pusher bar and a canengaging portion adapted to overlie the opposite side of said pusher barto pro vide a bight portion over the extremity of the pusher bar, saidsheet having a portion thereof adapted to overlie the base of saidimpeller for engaging cans disposed thereon and so disposed relative tosaid first named can engaging portion that the angle between such canengaging portions is slightly greater than the angle between said baseand pusher bar, said sheet having a web portion intermediate said canengaging portions disposed normal to a line bisecting the angle betweenthem, and meanssecured to the can impeller for applying a force againstsaid web to urge the latter toward said can impeller to thereby drawsaid bight portion tightly down upon the extremity of the pusher bar andstretch the adjacent can engaging portion relative to the same.

7. A lining for the can engaging surfaces of a can impeller having apusher bar adapted to be engaged by cans disposed on either side thereofand a base substantially normal to said pusher bar for supporting cansadjacent the same, comprising a single sheet of non-corrosive wearresisting, material having an intermediate portion adapted to bedisposed normal to a line bisectin the angle between the pusher bar andbase and diverging can engaging portions bent forwardly relative to saidintermediate portion so that the angle between said can engagingportions is slightly greater than the angle between said pusher bar andbase, said sheet being bent backupon one of said can engaging portionsto provide a bight portion adapted to overlie the extremity of thepusher bar and to provide a can engaging lip disposed parallel to theback face of said pusher bar and adapted to engage the same, saidintermediate portion having openings at. predetermined positions alongits length, and a blind fastener having a shank portion extendingthrough each of said openings and attached to the can impeller andhaving a head portion for applying a force to said intermediate portionto thereby draw the bight portion tightly down upon the extremity of thepusher bar and press the extremities of said can engagin portionsagainst the pusher bar and base for flexing said can engaging portionsrelative thereto.

8.. A protector for angularly disposed can engaging surfaces of a canimpeller comprising non-corrosive wear resistant material formed toprovide an angularly related pair of surfaces adapted to overlie theangularly disposed can engaging surfaces of the can impeller, each ofsaid angularly related surfaces having a terminal 10 Number edgeengageable with the terminal edge of the can engaging surface of theimpeller over which it is overlaid, and means on said impeller engagingsaid protector intermediate said angularly"related surfaces thereof andexerting tension 15 2,278,627

on the protector to hold said protector edges 10 against the terminaledges of said can engaging surfaces of said impeller;

KARL L. BERRAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,422,002 Shaw July 4, 1922 1,579,676Thompson Apr. 6, 1926 2,068,562 Murphy et al. Jan. 19, 1937 2,275,244Bee et a1. Mar. 3, 1942 Wernig Apr. '7, 1942

